classicalmusiclover's corner

Glenn Gould, an odd Canadian who shunned public performances later in life, is best known for his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. He was very good at other interpreting other composers too, especially Beethoven, in my opinion. Here is a selection of his recordings:

Chopin Goldberg Variations Aria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv94m_S3QDo&feature=related

Goldberg variations 26 – 30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtt1msnwlZQ&feature=related

Glenn Gould Beethoven Piano Sonata 17 “The Tempest” 3^rd movement - This wonderful rendition of Beethoven is my favorite...it sounds like a real storm when he plays it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sBTAfpr21I&feature=related

Beethoven Sonata “Moonlight” No, 14 in C-sharp minor Op. 27, No. 2

3^rd movement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVZqAbbkdgw&feature=related

Friday, October 1, 2010

Richter - the best pianist of the 20th century, some say

Stanislav Richter

Richer plays Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hOKcdZJJFU

A very scary Chopin Etude (incredibly fast)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3azkJP_vkN8

A mix of stuff Chopin, Ravel, Shostakovich he says “I’d have preferred to be crazy”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iDrmPWqySk&feature=channel

Playing Ravel Jeux d’eau (“The fountain” in French; he makes this difficult piece look easy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cumoVX7x3Zo&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Gotta add this one even though there is no visual. This is the best performance of the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Appassianata Sonata ever...listen closely from 5:30 to the end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rneg0esoWF8

Vladimir Horowitz: the greatest pianist who ever lived?

Notice how he "breaks the rules" by curling his right pinky finger. But if you are Horowitz, you can get away with breaking the rules...

Horowitz Carmen

Vladimir Horowitz - Variations on a Theme from Bizet's "Carmen", (this one is really famous)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnla_5zrHAE

Chopin Ballade

Vladimir Horowitz - Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 (a bit long but worth it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc
Scriabin Etudes

Vladimir Horowitz -Scriabin Etude Opus 8 Number 12 (good view of his left hand...no curling!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPTe1xMB9Uk&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Vladimir Horowitz - plays Scriabin Etude in Moscow (my favorite, but slower)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWVvnZmT9_E&feature=related

Friday, September 24, 2010

My old piano repertoire

All right, from playing piano myself I started getting into classical music at age 16. Here is part of my repertoire from years past.

J.S. Bach – First lessons in Bach (all of book 1); Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Two- part inventions – inventios – numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15; Three-part invention – sinfonias 2

C.P.E. Bach – Solfeggietto

Johann Pachelbel – Canon in D

Chopin (various pieces) – Preludes, Waltzes, Nocturnes, Polonaises, Etudes

Mozart – Sonata in C, Fantasy in d minor

Bella Bartok – Mikrokosmos books 1 to 6

Debussy – 1^st Arabesque, Clair de Lune, Reverie

Moszkowski – Opus 72 etude number 2 in G minor

Schubert – Impromptus opus 90 and opus 142

Scriabin – Etude Opus– 2 number 1

Handel – Sarabande HWV 437

Rachmaninoff – Preludes, especially Opus 3 number 2

Beethoven – Fur Elise, Adieu to the Piano, Two “easy” sonatas: Opus 49 numbers 1 and 2, Pathetique, Moonlight

Scott Joplin Maple Leaf Rag

The Phantom of the Opera – Think of Me, Angel of Music, The Phantom of the Opera (just a bit), The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You

Thursday, September 16, 2010

What's up?

Although this blog is mostly for classical music, I will be putting some other kinds of stuff on here about music. I like playing piano so will put some books and ideas on here for piano playing. I like classic rock and will put the greatest bands here too. But look for performers of the classical music; that will be the real treasure here.